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Privacy Commissioner of Canada awards $388,319 for research on privacy issues

Ottawa, July 14, 2006 – The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart, today announced that 11 organizations will be awarded a total of $388,319 through her Office’s Contributions Program for research into emerging privacy issues, including surveillance technologies, privacy policies aimed at children and the use of DNA in the criminal justice system.

“The rapid advancements of technology and greater demands for personal information make it imperative for Canadians to be provided with sound analysis of privacy challenges and issues,” says Ms. Stoddart. “The research carried out through our Contributions Program is helping to create a stronger privacy knowledge base and to foster public dialogue.”

This is the third year that the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has run its Contributions Program since its launch in mid-2004. The Program was designed to support non-profit research that furthers the development of a national research capacity in Canada in the broad spectrum of issues impacting privacy. Research under this year’s Program will touch on a variety of other interesting topics, including the certification of privacy professionals, digital rights management technology, health privacy and the de-identification of personal information. This is the largest amount of funding that has been awarded to researchers in the Program’s history and twice as many institutions are being funded in comparison with last year.

Funded Projects

Organization

Project

Amount

Canadian Association for Professional Access and Privacy Administrators and the Canadian Access and Privacy AssociationEdmonton, AB and Ottawa, ON

Professional Certifications Standards Project

Research and establish standards for certification of privacy and information access professionals

The Development of Pan-Canadian De-Identification Guidelines for Personal Health Information

Explore the challenges of de-identifying personal health information

$45,000

Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John’s, NFLD

Technology Choices and Privacy Policy in Health Care

Examine the relationship between technology and policy choices

$44,850

Automobile Consumer CoalitionToronto, ON

Vehicle Technology and Consumer Privacy

Explore privacy implications of various surveillance technologies in vehicles

$30,900

Centre for Bioethics, Clinical Research Institute of MontrealMontreal, QC

The Secondary Uses of Health Information and Electronic Medical Records: Current Debates, Policies, Initiatives and Legislation in Canada and Abroad.

Create an inventory of the challenges to privacy posed by electronic health records and databases that contain them

$24,200

L’Union des consommateursMontréal, QC

Do Consumers Benefit From the Trading of Personal Information?

Implications to Canadians of the personal information trade and analytical study of the effectiveness of Canadian laws in adequately protecting consumers

$22,000

University of OttawaOttawa, ON

Privacy Within the Criminal Justice System: DNA Investigation

Examine the use and handling ofDNAcollected during the course of investigations

$11,960

Ryerson UniversityToronto, ON

Under the Radar? The Employer Perspective on Workplace Privacy

Disseminate results of report on workplace privacy, sponsored by last year’s Contributions Program

$10,350

“There is a great deal of untapped Canadian expertise with respect to privacy rights. The OPC’s Contributions Program provides stimulation for ideas to thrive, and new knowledge to be generated,” says Professor Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa and Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce law. Professor Geist is also a member of the OPC’s External Advisory Committee.

The Contributions Program has awarded more than $900,000 since its inception. Each proposal is weighed for its merit and contribution recipients are selected after a rigorous screening process. These projects are expected to be completed in 2007. Links to the reports are made available on the OPC’s Web site and may also be profiled at the 2007 International Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners Conference, which is taking place in Montreal in September 2007.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada is mandated by Parliament to act as an ombudsman, advocate and guardian of privacy rights of Canada.